Near Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Meade PyramidThe Battle of Fredericksburg

By Craig Swain, May 25, 2008

1. The Meade Pyramid Marker

Inscription. Usually thought of as a Union monument, the large pyramid in front of you was in fact erected by the Confederate Memorial Literary Society. In 1897, the society contacted Virginia railroad executives asking them to erect markers at historically significant sites along their lines. The president of the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad embraced the proposal, but rather than simply erected a sign, he constructed a stone pyramid modeled after the memorial to the unknown Confederate dead buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.

The monument here marks the point where General George G. Meade's Union division penetrated the boggy gap in "Stonewall" Jackson's lines on December 13, 1862. Over the years it has become known as the Meade Pyramid. The monument in not accessible.

Erected by Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park - National Park Service - U.S. Department of the Interior.

Location. 38° 15.009′ N, 77° 26.31′ W. Marker is near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in Spotsylvania County. Marker is on Lee Drive, on the left when traveling east. Click for map. Marker is located along Lee Drive in the Fredericksburg-Spotyslvania Military Park. The most convenient access is from Lansdowne Road. Marker is in this post office area: Fredericksburg VA 22408, United States of America.

By Craig Swain, May 25, 2008

2. The Meade Pyramid Seen from the Marker Location

As seen by the visitors walking back from the pyramid, clearly the site is accessible, it is more properly defined as on "private property."

More about this marker. The background is a photograph of the pyramid.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. The stone pyramid in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery, as mentioned on this marker.

Also see . . . 1. Prospect Hill. National Park Service page. The pyramid is discussed on this section of the NPS virtual tour of the battlefield. (Submitted on May 27, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

2. The Meade Pyramid. Author and historian Michael Aubrecht on a video tour of the pyramid. (Submitted on May 5, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

By Kevin W., December 9, 2007

3. A Southern Memorial

By Gary Wahl, October 8, 2009

4. The Meade Pyramid

Photo taken from Amtrak Auto Train traveling south at approximately 40mph.

Credits. This page originally submitted on May 27, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,130 times since then. Photos:1, 2. submitted on May 27, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on December 10, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 4. submitted on October 9, 2009, by Gary Wahl of Davie, United States.